Today we’d like to introduce you to Pippin Schupbach
Hi Pippin, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I was raised in a creative environment surrounded by the Colorado mountains. The two guiding forces in my childhood were exploring the mountains and working on creative projects. So, at a young age, I knew about the importance of being creative and being surrounded by natural beauty. These weren’t just important, but foundational to my wellbeing. I also had the good fortune to study art and art history at a small college in the San Juan Mountain range in Colorado. After graduating, I lived in different cities and worked non-creative jobs, but eventually attended design school in San Diego and this led to a job in publishing doing layout and design for several magazines. It’s only been the last five years that I’ve made being an artist my focus. Currently, I’m living in Asheville, North Carolina with my husband, a philosophy professor at Clemson University. When I’m not in my studio, I enjoy exploring Blue Ridge Mountains which provides such incredible inspiration for my artwork.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The path of an artist is not like most careers and—of course!—there have been struggles along the way. Some of the challenges have been self-doubt, financial insecurity, and maintaining momentum during slow periods which are alas common hurdles for many creative professionals. I’ve developed a strategy of navigating challenging times and a big part of this is having a supportive network that includes family, friends, and fellow artists. Surrounding myself around people who understand both me and the specific challenges of creative work provides important support – emotional encouragement, practical advice, and even collaborative opportunities.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
My art is an on-going journey that has taken several detours in its life span. Presently, my work is full of layers with geometric and linear shapes that are created by hard-edge and underpainting techniques. My photos don’t fully capture the textures that gives my paintings their extra, intriguing depth. To give my pieces their textures, I build up think layers of paint then sand them down with an electric sander. I repeat this process many times until I’m satisfied with the results. This process sometimes creates an illusion of wooden strips that clearly adds an additional distinctive dimension of my paintings.
There are two achievements I’m most proud of. The first is completing a project during the pandemic that entailed five large paintings for a private airport in Las Vegas. My second, is having one of my prints selected to be part of West Elm’s art offerings.
I think what sets me apart from others, is the combination of geometric and linear elements with the balanced cool-warm color palette that creates a distinctive artist style.
We’re always looking for the lessons that can be learned in any situation, including tragic ones like the Covid-19 crisis. Are there any lessons you’ve learned that you can share?
During the Covid 19-Crisis, I developed a strong daily art practice. This daily creative practice has been incredibly grounding and fulfilling. I produced some of my best work during the crisis and it gave me solace to connect the outdoor world to my art. Also, having a strong art practice has helped me settled in post-Helene Asheville with all the devastation the storm brought to the local art scene.
Pricing:
- 12 x 12 inches $300
- 18 x 23 $600
- 30 x 30 inches $1,000
- Available for Commissions
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.pippinschupbach.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pippinschupbach/
- Other: https://www.minted.com/store/pippin
